Tips for Photographing Your Clients for Your Hair Salon Portfolio Tips for Photographing Your Clients for Your Hair Salon Portfolio
Show Off the Skills You Learned at Our Cosmetology School Near You
You’ve just finished up with a client and you’re admiring your work – the highlights are perfect, the cut frames her face perfectly, and your client is absolutely beaming. After she’s left the hair salon to enjoy her new ‘do and you’re cleaning up your station, it hits you. You didn’t get a single photo of some of your best work!
Photographing your clients is a huge part of building your portfolio in a cosmetology program. It’s the best way to showcase your growth and your unique style. It also allows new clients to get a feel for who you are and what techniques you gravitate toward. The first step to getting great photos is remembering to take them, but it can be even more complicated once you’re actually taking the photo.
When a photo looks dull, blurry, or dark, it isn’t a representation of your hard work. Follow these steps, and you’ll be taking show-stopping photos in no time!
Make Sure the Lighting Is Right in Your Hair Salon
Lighting is arguably the most important part of taking a good photo. Where is the natural light coming into your hair salon? You’ll want to position your client facing the natural light to get the best color and quality in your photo.
Is the weather nice? Don’t be afraid to step outside! Natural light should always be your first choice, as it shows off the hair in the most realistic way. If natural light isn’t giving you what you need, or the lighting in your Wichita hair salon isn’t the most flattering, investing in a ring light can ease your worries and help guarantee a good photo.
The Background Matters
The background of your photos can make or break how well the client’s hair shines. Backgrounds can be distracting, and the last thing you want is for the environment to pull more attention than the hair.
Having a designated background can help create a clean and concise look for your portfolio. Whether that’s a blank wall, a white backdrop, or a stylish area in your hair salon, you can find creative ways to be consistent with your backgrounds.
Take the Photo Close-Up
Rather than using the zoom feature on your smartphone camera, move closer to your client to center their hair in the frame. Zooming in can cause blur and other distortion in the final image, which won’t let you show off your stunning hairstyle.
Don’t snap the photo from too far away, either, which won’t allow your camera to pick up the subtle nuances of color or textures in your client’s tresses.
Make The Client Feel Comfortable
When you’re photographing clients, it’s important you’re respectful and encouraging. Not everyone is used to their photo being taken and they may feel unsure what to do. Be direct and clear about how you want clients to pose, this will help you get the photo you need and make the client feel more comfortable.
If your client isn’t comfortable with their face being photographed, getting an angled photo of the back or side of their hair can be a great addition to your cosmetology program portfolio. Make the client feel even more comfortable by showing them the photos, complimenting them, and taking multiple photos so there are options to choose from.
Use a High-Quality Camera
Having high quality photos in your hair portfolio is essential to showcasing your work. Luckily, phones these days have pretty high-resolution cameras that can work just as well as a professional camera.
Always make sure your camera lens is clean – you’d be surprised how often your fingers brush up against your camera! Simply giving your lens a quick wipe will make your photos clearer and crisper. No matter what type of camera you use, make sure you know how to get the photo in focus and at the right angle.
Stay True to Your Style
When you’re in a cosmetology program, your portfolio is a representation of your journey. What kind of hair salon do you want to work in? What do you want to specialize in? These are important questions to ask yourself while you’re building your hair portfolio.
You can show off your style through the editing tools you use, your backgrounds, or the client hair styles. No matter what, stay true to your personal style. Once you’re out of cosmetology school, your portfolio will help you build a like-minded clientele and show off what you’re best at.
Eric Fisher Academy Students Practice in a Real Hair Salon!
If you haven’t enrolled in a Wichita cosmetology school near you yet, you can’t get started on your hair portfolio. If you’re ready to start your journey in the beauty industry, contact the Admissions team at Eric Fisher Academy – the premier beauty school in the region.
